Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-10
THE TREATY OF ARBITRATION.

Very different are the ways of nations
and men now from the old times. Then
when nations disagreed the gage of battle
was cast down and with little hesitation
taken up. Now, while Anarchists rail at
society and seek to involve men in bloody
deeds, nations, by their representatives,
meet 10 consider the ways and means to
avert war and conserve peace. Here, for in
stance, is a deputation from one-third the
membership OF the House of Commons of
England visiting the President of the
United States and asking for treaty of
arbitration between the two great powers
1t is significant event; it means that the
thought of the progressive people of the
age is averse to all warlike contests, and is
striving for the attainment of the highest
ends of concession and Cancellation. In
stead of armed frigates and armored gun
boats in bloody contention for the mastery
OF the seas, we satisfy vanity and national
pride by peaceful contests of speed with
pleasure yachts, and win or lose with gra-
cious equanimity. We speed our horses
against those of foreign peoples and the
gage of friendly striving is cup or a
purse; we enter the athletic arena and
put sinew against muscle in generous strife
for peaceful victory over our foreign breth.
rem. When complications arise CONCERN
ing conflict of human rights of the people
OF the nations, we meet TO arbitrate and
harmonic, and avoid the wager of battle
and the sacrifice of blood and treasure
to the sentiment that proves moth
ing. In the case giving rise to
these reflections, nothing more strikingly
conveys TO the mind the truth that war
between the two great English-speaking
nations would be the most absurd and
senseless of proceedings. The time has
gone by for ever let us hope, when like
foolish boys, nations stand with the chip
upon the shoulder and measure national
honor and race courage by the hardihood
that leads one or the other to invite a
blow by knocking the chip to the ground.
The English delegation referred to had
such reception as convinced it that the
American Government wishes for no cause
Tor wal, and will not only seek no oppor-
tunity for it, but will meet England half
way III the consultation, that even after
war must be had prior to adjustment. 1t
may not be that treaty of arbitration
will at once be covenanted. But it is in
evitable; it has the support of public
opinion; it has the championship of the
best minds of the age; it is fortified by
every dictate of reason, and demanded by
every consideration of humanity. The
sentiment that nothing should provoke
England and America to armed strife is
not newly born, or weak. On the con-
trary, 1t has had steady growth since 1918,
and to-day is so strong as to control the
activities of the two nations in their rela-
tions to each other, without a single line
OF arbitration treaty back of it. The
treaty Of arbitration will be framed some
day, and a convention Of the two nations
will be sealed that will insure peace and
the settlement of all issues by the humane
and Judicial proceeding arbitration. The
visit of the English population of COM
moners, We repeat, is a most significant
event, and is full of meaning and promise
Tor the maintenance of peaceful relations
between the two nations. so long as the
earth endures.